Average is the new black
by mesweetescape
Summary: When Mikan Sakura enters Alice Academy, she finds her normal average girl facade exposed by Hotaru, who is desperate to make a non average friend, Natsume - who is interested in non average girls and Ruka. NXM, RXR. T for Safety.
1. Trying to blend

**DISCLAIMER.**

**Average is the new black.**

Trying to blend.

_There's no such thing as normal._

**Hotaru POV.**

Mikan Sakura was like the rest. Average grades – excelling mostly in English and failing mostly in mathematics, average looks but always _smiling. _Like it was almost unnatural.

She was like all other girls really. Her encounter with Natsume was like all the other girls, a simple kind act that he initiates plus his looks makes them fall head over heels. His gesture was simple really, pick up the book she dropped and a mysterious on look, and she spends the rest of her time thinking about him.

Pitiful, he isn't all like that.

"She was cute," Natsume mused as he walked towards me. I shrug, nonchalantly.

"Average. Normal." He shrugs back.

"Just saying."

Ruka looks at me, his blue eyes curious as usual. "I still don't understand why you find it necessary to do a massive background check on every girl that comes to this academy."

"I _need_ friends, Ruka." I state bluntly. He blushes, and ducks his head.

"What are we?"

"Guy friends," I say as Natsume snorts. "I need a girl friend," I tilt my head, "And average people aren't my friend type."

-

-

As I watched Mikan walk towards the classroom, her walk was well – different, she didn't walk like the other girls, flirtacious and cutesy but as she noticed Narumi walking towards her in a quickened pace, her attitude changed completely as she turned all shy and cutesy.

Annoying, but not the norm.

"Mikan Sakura right?" He calls worriedly, although he already knows it's her, "Great!" he says even when she doesn't respond, "Great, now let's get you to class now shall we?"

Well, quite frankly it's not like she had a choice.

As they approached the classroom, I watched as both of them reassembled themselves for the others.

"Good morning!" Narumi sings, as I slip into the classroom silently.

"Good morning," some respond nonchalantly, in a bored tone, stupidly unaware what was going to happen.

"Transfer student today," Narumi mused, as he watched the faces of the class shift from boredom into surprise and excitement. Excited whispers engulf the class, as Mikan walks through the door awkwardly, consequently tripping on her own foot. A few seconds of silence, and the whole classroom bursts into laughter as she gathers herself off the floor.

"What a clumsy idiot!" Koko yells slapping his leg. Mochu looks at him and nods, laughing too.

"Can't say _that_ wasn't hilarious." I got to hand it to the guy to making the saddest jokes, but everyone laughed anyway.

Although some girls – normal girls would cry and run off, Mikan looked at the two boys and sighed under her breath. She then proceeded to smile and introduce herself loudly over the crowd. "Mikan Sakura," she says loudly – almost yelling. "Nice to meet you." She smiles cutely, at everyone looking all cute and approachable and I can almost feel myself gagging.

At that point I was clearly aware that Mikan Sakura was not the average girl.

"Too bad the floor met you first!" Sumire cackles as everyone laughs. I didn't quite understand the joke, considering that meeting the floor and meeting other people didn't really link it but it seemed hilarious to this class. I watch again, as Mikan struggles to control herself, biting her lip but shooting a dark glare at Sumire, in which case she didn't notice.

"Shut up and let her talk," Natsume says off handedly.

The class silenced immediately and I wondered how much money I could make if I just recorded his voice and sold it to teachers that had troubles with shutting students up, and I dragged out some tools and pieces to begin my invention.

"Well," Mikan says cutely again and I roll my eyes. "I already introduced myself, but hey again anyway?"

She laughs nervously and I stare at her – along with the whole class, and I want to laugh.

"Hey Mikan," Natsume says in his I'm-so-handsome voice of his, which I must admit did the job. My eyes flicker to him as he greets her and I was then blatantly aware that he was interested. _Very interested. _Mikan, obviously entranced by his little kungfu move of seduction nods shyly and bites her bottom lip.

"Hey," she says back shyly as I refrain the urge to gag again.

Narumi, who was the teacher that should've made Mikan Sakura's life easier during her introduction by shutting the class up, observed the sparks and atmosphere between the two awkwardly, scratching his head as he notions Mikan towards Natsume. "Uh, great then!" he says mildly uncomfortable with the idea, he was about to propose, "Then you can be with Natsume for the next few days until you get used to the school and all."

It didn't take a genius to understand that the temperature in the room plummeted a few levels when that was said. After all, she was going to be involved with the – well, us.

That was hardly terrifying, contrary to the faces on the classmates around me.

Who was laughing a few seconds ago?

Natsume, clearly annoyed at the class before him storms out of his chair along with Ruka out of the classroom. I sigh quietly, as I look up at Mikan Sakura, vaguely aware that she was scanning her environment.

"Idiot," I mutter, referring to the both of them.

Mikan has that smile plastered on her lips again, used to such an extent, it was virtually impossible to tell if that would be fake or real.

Well, despite my cleverness, I understood.

Mikan Sakura was definitely not normal, which meant I had to start making friends soon.

-

-

**Mikan POV.**

As I walked into the class, and met face to face with the floor, I just _knew_ my social envious life was down the drain. Kids throughout the class laughed and snickered like a bunch of brats as I made a feeble attempt to make myself look better – well anything's better than the ground.

"What a clumsy idiot!" A sandy haired boy yells, slapping his knee laughing. I hoped it hurt.

The purple haired almost bold boy looks at him, and promptly slaps him in the back agreeing completely. "Can't say _that_ _wasn't _hilarious!" he chants finding himself mildly amusing. Well it wasn't funny at all, well I didn't find it funny, and I could understand how that was a completely bias thought – but it wasn't. What's the point of the confirmation?

So I fell on my face. Hilarious.

I sigh, and I tilt my head to the side trying to look innocent, and smile brightly, like I always do. "Mikan Sakura," I yell over the stupid laughs. "Nice to meet you."

"Too bad the floor met you first!" A girl snickers. Why don't you shut up before your face meets my fist? I want to say. Honestly, this class was incredibly lame. They're jokes weren't even funny but they all laughed anyway. As I was beginning to think that this class had an unspoken agreement of _If you laugh at my jokes, you better laugh at mine buddy, because we both know neither of our laughs are funny at all, _a deep voice echoes in the class silencing the snickers.

"Shut up and let her talk."

I look for the voice, and find myself staring at a pair of crimson eyes, to which belonged to the guy I met this morning. He was hot and to a certain degree quite cute, but he seemed so _obnoxious._ I thank him internally nonetheless, for saving my twice in a day as I continue, acting embarrassed.

"Well, I already introduced myself," I murmur pulling my hair behind my ear – apparently it looks cute. "But hey anyway?" I say unsurely as I smile. The hot boy in the back row smirks at me, and I could almost feel the blood rushing up to my cheeks – good, makes me seem cuter.

"Hey Mikan," he says casually smiling crookedly at me. It seems I have met someone that had mastered the art of making girls fumble over _nothing._ His so god damn _good looking. _I nod at him gratefully and smile back brightly at him.

"Hey," I say back cheerfully.

The blonde teacher that managed to shove me into the classroom without formally introducing himself was named Narumi, because of my diary, looks at the classroom awkwardly and back at me and then back at the boy. "Uh, great then!" he says uncomfortably, "Then you can be with Natsume for the next few days until you get used to the school and all."

At that notion, the atmosphere in the class seemed to drop a few levels, I was happy that I was paired with savior hot boy in front of me, but the faces on the classes faces told me I should be worried. _Dead worried. _Or, they all had the hots for him and they were all jealous.

Both were nonetheless a bit chilling.

All of a sudden, Natsume gets up from his chair, shooting a few glares at those who looked at him, snorted at me and stalked out of the classroom followed by a pretty blonde boy with a rabbit.

What a rabbit is doing in school, I have no idea.

A girl in the third row looks up from the table that was cluttered with tools and other accessories I did not understand "Idiot," she mutters.

I wasn't sure who she was talking about, but all I could do was smile brightly until I seated myself into the now empty seats in the back row and wait for the day to over, so I can stop this charade I was already tired of.

* * *

**My first story in a while! **

**Well, i hope you well, mildly enjoyed this, i know the characters are a bit different, mostly Mikan as well i hope in later chapters her happy, real attitude will come to life again. As for Hotaru, i think how you read her in this chapter wouldnt change much, until well, untill shes dealing with Mikan personally i guess.**

**I hope you liked, or at least could bare with the characters, and of course, most importantly, enjoyed reading this story!**

**Please read and review! **

**Thanks many, _Helplessly Lovestruck._**


	2. Trying not to break

**DISCLAIMER.**

**Average is the new black.**

_Trying not to break._

_God has given you one face, and you yourself, make another. - William Shakespeare_

**

* * *

**

**Mikan POV**

My day at school wasn't normal at all, hardly normal. In fact, it was like – stepping into an alternate universe. The minute the bell rung I was virtually much ambushed by this pretty raven haired girl with violet eyes. The eyes scrutinizing me in a way that made me feel like prey. When she looked at me, a thoughtful look was plastered on her face like she had just found the best meat in the market and as I coughed at the awkward moment; her eyes shimmered back to reality.

"Hey," she says in a stoic voice, only a hint of excitement shown in her tone. "Let's be friends."

Now if you ask me, that hardly gave me a choice. Like no-one here ever does. The teacher doesn't wait for me to answer, the class doesn't really give me the chance to push out the first impression of myself in the minds, and now I'm practically ordered to become friends with someone who looks at me like a piece of meat to eat?

Heck with that.

"Why should I?" I ask in my sweetest voice, with a hint of malice edging itself forward. I look at her, and I smile brightly. "I'm the laughing stock of the school."

"You'd be a lot more if you don't become friends with me." She says.

So now she was starting to sound a bit more immature, like those kids who chuck tantrums in the middle of a shopping isle if you don't buy them the toy they want.

As the whole class swarmed out of the classroom, my patience had already run low, and I was going to crack soon – no doubt about it.

"Sorry, I don't make friends with people who threaten me." I say turning to walk out hoping that walking out of here; will be walking out of her life.

"Threaten?" She scoffs. "Mikan Sakura that was hardly a threat." I stop in my tracks, aware of the malice in her tone that was dead serious. "You want a threat?" She says, clearly angry, her stoic façade broken. "Here's one for you," she says as she leans into my ear. "You don't be my friend, and I expose your little Ms Princess Façade to everyone you know, every old school, every new school, and you won't see the end to it. No-one will like you; no-one will be friends with you…no-one except me."

She's crazy. Psychotic. Serial Killer like.

All in all, she was desperate to have a friend, and unfortunately I was that chosen one. My little "princess façade" is what got me all my friends over the years, and I was definitely not going to let that be blown away by some crazy freak that is desperate to have _me_ as her friend.

"Do you have proof?" I say.

"Proof?" She says a bit surprised by my nonchalant reply.

"Yeah, if you don't show _me_ proof that you know what's going on," I point to my head, hoping I looked a bit more smart "here, then there I won't be your friend."

She smirks, like she had already won. "Mikan Sakura," She says, "You are definitely not normal."

"Oh," I snap sarcastically "Are you talking about my super powers?"

"Really?" she muses, as she reaches into her pocket and takes out a remote. "Will your super powers get you out of this?"

A projector pops out of _fucking nowhere _and screens what happened in the last few minutes that well may shatter my whole social life.

The screen shows me from a little innocent angel being pestered by some bratty classmate into a complete bitch in a matter of seconds and I was then well aware, I was being tested.

"What the fuck is this?" I spit under my breath glaring at her. "Am I some sort of _fucking _game to you? What the hell did I ever do to _you?"_

She sighs, annoyed as she seats herself into the closest seat to her and points towards the screen. "That is your proof." She murmurs in the captain obvious tone that makes me want to punch her in the face. "You are hardly a game, Mikan Sakura and you're a friend." She looks at me, her eyes ice cold. "You did nothing to me, which is exactly why _I _had to."

"So this is what you do to your friend?" I scoff, watching the projector play the exact words right after I do. Like her patience for me had completely diminished in a few seconds she glared at me, her cold eyes boring into mine.

"_You _wanted proof, I gave you proof. That was the deal, so don't you go saying what kind of friend I am, _you asked for this._ If you just agreed to be my friend, there was hardly a need for me to resort to this sort of thing, so don't you _dare_ complain to _me _about how I should be _treating you_." She stopped for a second, panting and focused to compose herself. "A deal is a deal, Mikan Sakura." She says leaving the classroom as the projector disappears. "You're my friend now, and don't you dare try to make it otherwise." She glances at me and smirks. "You should already know I'm not one to mess with."

As she left, I felt my whole body just crumble beneath me as I fell to the floor.

It's over. My whole social life is over.

I felt the tears fall from my eyes and I groaned, and sat there until the end of lunch, trying to compose myself.

I wasn't going to look like a person who comes and goes as they leave, but I definitely wasn't a person who uses pity to get what I want. That will never change.

The image I worked so hard to build will definitely not falter to some crazy chick who wants to be my friend, I worked for this, and I _will _have this.

I don't even know this girls name, but she _will_ be my friend and _she will _shut her trap.

**-**

**-**

**-**

**Hotaru POV**

Right after class had ended, I approached Mikan Sakura quickly to ensure I was the first classmate, besides Natsume that talked to her and leave an impression. As I approached her, I was surprised by how innocent she really did look, and I continued to look for a flaw in her face but apparently found none that would expose her to any evil cackling witch behind the scene. I recomposed myself as soon as I heard her cough awkwardly, and I probably looked like a complete loser, which I _never do._ Well, except today.

"Hey," I said quickly, hoping she would forget. "Let's be friends."

Her face didn't seem to shift much from my words but I could see the light in her eyes flash curiously and her mouth curve slightly in an angry manner.

"Why should I?" She said in her I'm-trying-to-be-sweet voice as she bites her lip and smiles. "I'm the laughing stock of the school."

Well, it was only the class, but instead of correcting her drama queen act, I just decided to be straight forward.

"You would be a lot more if you don't become friends with me." I say nonchalantly.

I watched her as she watched the whole class leave, eyes curious at our exchange but mouths saying nothing. Just thoughts and nothing more. As the class left, her pretense started to fall and break as apparently I was pissing her off. Still, determined to be a cute girl in front of me, she smiles and nods at me as she steps out of my way to leave the classroom.

She may be an act, but she was an idiot.

"Sorry," she says in a sincere sounding tone, "I don't make friends with people who threaten me."

That was a stupid comeback. She obviously didn't want to be my friend, and she was just making puny excuses to make up for it? Mikan Sakura was annoying; not the cute girl annoying, not the bitch annoying, but she was a mix of both and a lot more. Like a light switch in a room, the patience I didn't know I was trying to keep started breaking and I hissed at her.

"Threaten?" I scoff, "Mikan Sakura that was hardly a threat." I move my hair out of my eyes and glare at her back, as she comes to stop in her tracks, now fully aware that I wasn't going to be nice anymore. "You want a threat?" I whisper, maliciously not giving a flying cow if someone walked in and saw me like this. "Here's one for you," I say leaning closer to her, "You don't be my friend, and I expose your little Ms Princess Façade to everyone you know, every old school, every new school, and you won't see the end to it. No-one will like you; no-one will be friends with you…no-one except me."

I may have sounded a bit desperate at the end, but truth is, I know I am.

I know I am, and I know everyone in this damn school knows I am.

I know everybody here is _happy_ I am not their friend, nor do I consider them worthy enough, because they all know: Hotaru Imai wants a unique friend.

And why I chose Mikan Sakura, they don't understand. And they wouldn't need to.

Of course, I hardly intend to blackmail her and send her halfway across England, because by now she should be contemplating, should she be friends _with_ me? Or should she lose her whole social network _because_ of me?

Average people, would instantly, choose the first choice. First and wisest.

"Do you have proof?" She whispers quietly. Forgetting for a second who I was dealing with, I almost scoffed in surprise as I remembered, Mikan Sakura was not the norm. Why would she choose either choice?

She was a fighter.

This is why I want to be friends.

"Yeah, if you don't show _me_ proof that you know what's going on" She points towards her head, looking like an idiot as she rolls her eyes sardonically. "- here, then I won't be your friend."

I feel the corner of my lip curve into a smirk and although I had not planned on using this, she brought it upon herself.

"Mikan Sakura," I say fumbling with my pocket for the right instrument, "You are definitely not normal."

"Oh," she snaps sarcastically, and my smirk grows more pronounce as her façade completely shatters in front of me. "Are you talking about my super powers?"

I stare at her annoyed expression, and I had to admit, it was really amusing – funny even. "Really?" I murmur as I take out the remote from my pocket, "Will your super powers get you out of this?"

The projector that I had installed secretly into the ceiling reveals itself as the images of Mikan Sakura from angel to devil is filled in every corner and crack as the room.

I observe her again, and watch as her eyes widen in surprise and then, like I finally expected to happen, complete and utter rage.

Except I didn't expect I'd be angry right back.

"What the _fuck_ is this?" she snaps glaring at me with her chocolate orbs, "Am I some _fucking game _to you? What the _hell_ did I ever do to _you?" _

And with the amount of obscenities directed at me, I just snapped. Not only did I accomplish in breaking her angel act, I succeeded in breaking my own act.

The act that protected me.

I try to compose myself, as I feel the blood rushing through my veins, adrenaline pulsing through and I sit down to relax my muscles. I point towards the screen and stare at her.

"_That_ is your proof, you are hardly a game, Mikan Sakura and you're a friend." I can feel my eyes glaring into hers. "You did _nothing _to me, which is exactly why _I_ had to."

She laughs angrily and flips her hands in the air and yells at me. "So this is what you do to your friend?"

And the last composure I had for anyone, for her – especially, evaporated into thin air.

"_You _wanted proof, I gave you proof. That was the deal, so don't you go saying what kind of friend I am, _you asked for this._ If you just agreed to be my friend, there was hardly a need for me to resort to this sort of thing, so don't you _dare_ complain to _me _about how I should be _treating you_." I start panting and I know I had said too much. I was usually a person of few words, and I felt like I had run a marathon. I noted, mentally to start exercising. Finally, deciding I've had enough of this broken mask, I turned on my heels, as I clicked the projector back into the ceiling.

"A deal is a deal Mikan Sakura." I say, "You're my friend now and don't you dare to try to make it otherwise." I turn at her feeling my whole body go back to the cold stoic state it's usually in and I smirk in triumph. "You should already know – I'm not one to mess with."

As I walked out of the hallway, I saw a little group of people down the hall staring curiously at me and then run off at eye contact. I scoff under my break and as I take a turn towards the cafeteria, I feel a warm hand tap me on the shoulder.

Just as I was about to turn around and punch the person's face, I noticed it was Ruka and Natsume. Natsume, with an overwhelmingly amused expression, and Ruka with a worried one.

"You're more edgy than usual, Imai." Natsume states, and even though we're probably best friends, it just felt _right_ to call each other by their last names. Ruka nods in agreement and my eyes narrow.

"Are you feeling alright?" Ruka murmurs ducking his head again to hide his blush.

I roll my eyes, and punch Ruka in the arm, a sign to tell him to man up. Natsume laughs and he pats me on the head.

And if he wasn't my friend, I would've burned his hand off.

"Yeah, I'm okay," I murmur looking towards the classroom. "Just had an encounter with Mikan Sakura, that's all."

Natsume stares at me and smirks. "Thought she was average."

Ruka smiles, "So you noticed too huh?"

"What am I, to you two, an idiot?"

"Somewhat."

"Shut up Hyuuga, or I'll burn your hair off."

"With what Imai, a blow torch?"

"That could be arranged."

He laughs, "So, enough about how incredible my hair is does Mikan Sakura pass?"

I look at him and turn towards the cafeteria, well aware I was craving crabs.

"With flying colours," I say offhandedly, although I knew that there was so much more to it.

* * *

**My gosh, that is the longest chapter i have ever written in my life. **

**So, instead of boring you to the ends of the earth, i truly hope you enjoyed it. **

**Note**: I may have started the first few chapters with Mikan and Hotaru POV's, but later on hopefully i would be able to insert other characters, such as Natsume, Ruka, Tsubasa, Youichi?

But no promises just as yet.

**Please Read and Review!**

**Thanks many, _Helplessly Lovestruck._**

Oh, and PS: Sorry for any grammatical problems and errors within the text, i have read it over a few times but i do tend to miss alot.

So apologies to that, and please, bear with it !


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